Health benefits of purple foods

The hue of purple represents luxury, sophistication and royalty. When it comes to your well-being, the regal color also represents a wide variety of health-promoting properties. If you are looking to improve certain aspects of your health, look great or simply relax, the power of purple can help you achieve your goals. Here are some ways to incorporate more nutritionally-potent purple into your diet.

When thinking of food, purple is usually not the first color that comes to mind. Even though the color purple may not be a commonly grace your daily dinner plate, it is very beneficial to consume some bruise-colored foods.

Purple foods prevent premature aging

Purple foods are colored by a pigment called anthocyanin, a strong and protective antioxidant which can help reduce the risk of cancer, help improve memory and assist with healthy aging.

Purple foods protect your heart

Purple fruits and vegetables are also packed with flavonoids — known to be one of the most powerful phytochemicals. Flavonoids are heart-healthy, beneficial to the cardiovascular system and can lower your risk of heart disease.

Purple plants: Even purple-colored herbs — like lavender and purple basil — provide powerful nutritional benefits. In addition to the lovely fragrance lavender adds to hair and skin care products, eye pillows and drawer satchels, the renowned herb is associated with increasing blood circulation and reducing insomnia, anxiety, migraines and depression as well as treating skin ailments such as psoriasis, acne, wrinkles, cuts and burns. Lavender essential oil also has both antifungal and antiseptic properties.

Another popular dark-colored herb is purple basil, which has high doses of vitamin A, vitamin C and calcium. Purple basil is beneficial for the hair, skin and eyes.

With so many readily-edible choices to improve your well-being, it is easy to put purple on your daily dinner plate.